Bracket and tension means for a haunch joint



BRACKET AND TENSION MEANS FOR A EAUNOH JOINT Filed July 23, 1965 R. A. HEIKEN June 27, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. RA PH A. HEME/v T TOQNE s June 27, 1967 R. A. HEIKEN 3,328,056

BRACKET AND TENSION MEANS FOR A HAUNCH JOINT Filed July 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RALPH A. Hiv/5N TTOR/VEYS Filed July z3, 196s, ser. No. 474,287 s Claims. (cl. 287-2032) My invention relates generally to building construction and more particularly to free standing, clear span, building arches o r framework.

Such arches are normally comprised of a pair of opposed vertically disposed legs, one each, of which is joined to and adapted to support adjacent ends of a pair of roof supporting rafters. The rafters extendin-g angularly upwardly to an apex Where they are secured together. A particularproblem in such `arches is in const-ructingthe haunch joint in a fashion to permit assembly vat the building site with a correct relationship of the leg elements with respect to the rafter elements. Also, suc-h arches often fail to provide a joint which is rigidly enough constructed so as to correctly bear both tension and compression forces in both vertical and horizontal directions under all conditions. Further, it is noted that wood, being a iibrous material can change in size and shape due -to various changes in moisture content. This change can affect the dimensions of the various components of such a joint transversely of the grain thereof result-ing in a joint having poorly fitting components which do not adequately bear the above mentioned forces.

My invention provides a haunch joint comprised of a Vertical leg element and an angularly upwardly extended rafter element both formed from laminated wood and defining generally horizontal mating surfaces. Bracket means positions and secures the inner abutting por-tions of-said elements together while a tension means secures the abutting outer portion thereof together in such a manner so as to provide a joint which -be-a-rs both forces of compression and tension.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a'buildin'g arch of the class -above described which is formed from laminated wood products and which includes bracket means for rigidly securing together the haunch joints thereof.

It is another object to provi-de a device in which the components are formed with such a degree of accuracy that same may be assembled on a building site with a minimum of time and effort.

It is an object-of the present Vinvention to provide a semi-cylindrical bearing plate which carries both horizon-tal and vertical thrust forces of the haunch joint thereof. f. j

It i-s still another object of my invention to provide a buildin-g ar-ch which loads the forces of tension andcom- United States Patent O pression at the haunch joints transversely of the longitudinal dimensions of the grain in the wood from which it isconstructed. y

.It is a further objectV of the present invention to provide a haunch joint for a building arch which is not affected by the dimensional changes of the wood from which it is constructed'due to varying moisture content thereof.

It is a still fur-ther object of the present invention to provide an arch which requires but a minimum space during storage and/ or transporta-tion.

These and other highly important objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when taken in conne-ction with the following specifica-tion, attached drawings, and appended claims.

Referring with greater particularity to lthe drawings 3,328,655 Patented June 27, 1967 wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views;

FIG. 1 is an exploded View in perspective ofthe haunch joint of a building arch showing my novel construction;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing same in .an assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation thereof on a reduced scale, portions thereof broken away an-d shown in section;

lFIG. 4 i-s a View in side elevation of the rafter element of a building arch showingr the method of forming that portion associated with a haunch joint, portions thereof being broken away; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation on a reduced scale showing a modified haunch joint construction, portions thereof broken away and shown in section.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown the haunch joint, indicated generally by the numeral 10, of a building arch not fully shown. Inasmuch as such arches are generally symmetrical, in the interest of brevity, only one of theidentically formed haunch joints is shown. Haunch joint 10, as shown, is forme-d at the juncture of a vertically disposed leg element 11 and an angularly upwardly extended rafter element 12, one end portion 13 of which, is supported by the generally horizontally disposed upper surface l14 of vertical leg 11. As shown particularly in FIG. 4 end portion 13 of rafter 12 is drilled as at 15 and the corner portion thereof removed by sawing through the center of hole 15 at an angle oblique to the longitudinal ax-is of the rafter 12. Thus, a semi-cylindrical recess 16 is formed in :the plane of a surface 17. The oblique angle at which the surface 17 is formed is determined by the angular relationship or pit-ch of rafter 12 with respect to surface `14 of FIG. 11. Drilling hole 15'before forming the surface 17 assures accurate placement of recess 16 with the result that any one of a number of raf-ters 12 may ibe used with any one of a number of ver-tical legs 11. Thus, it will be seen that with the use of a bracket means 18, to. be described immediately hereinafter, a rafter 12 may be accurately positioned with respect to a leg 11 during connection or assembly of the joint 10 on a building site.

=Bracketmeans 18 for securing the abutting inner portions 19, 20 lof elements 11, 12, respectively, together comprises a thrust pla-te 21. Thrust plate 21 is interposed between the mating surfaces 14, 17 of elements 11, 12, respectively, and is received in a notch 22 formed in that portion of the upper surface 14 of leg 11 adjacent the inner portion 19 thereof. Thrust plate 21, as shown, generally underlies the inner portion 20 of rafter 12 when' same is'in position to be connected and is formed to provide a transversely extended, generally vertically projecting, semi-cylindrical bearing element 23 closely adjacent the converging inner edges 24, 2-5 of elements 11, 12. Bearing element 23 thus, is -nestingly received in the mating recess '16 and correctly positions the elements 11, 12 for subsequent connection of an independent tension means 26 to be described in greater detail at a later point.

Rigidly secured, as by welding or the like, to the inner end of thrust plate 21 is a depending tongue 27. Tongue 27 is shown as being in engagement with the inner edge 24 of leg element 11 and functions to positively limit outward movements of the thrust plate with respect to leg 11 and to transmit end thrust of rafter 12 transversely of the longitudinal dimensions of the grain of the wood forming leg 11 for a reason which will become apparent hereinafter.

For the purpose of securing the inner portions 19, 20 of elements 11, 12 together when the surfaces 14, 17, respectively, thereof are in abutting relationship and to provide additional support between the plate '21 and tongue 27 I provide the laterally spaced, generally parallel, 'opposed anchoring plates 28, 29. Anchoring plates 28, 29 are each rigidly secured to opposite side edges, also by welding or the like, of the plate 21 and tongue 27 and lie adjacent yopposite sides of Aelements 11, 12 so as to maintain the major planes thereof in a co-planar relationship. Plates 28, 29 are each provided with a plurality of apertures for the reception of lag screws or the like 30. When the mating surfaces 14, 17 of elements are brought into abutting relations-hip with the bracket 18 in a position as above described, by means of the tensioning means 26, the lag screws 30 are screwed into opposite sides of the elements 11, 12 and secure the inner portions 19, 20 thereof together.

The independent tension means 26, above mentioned, includes a tie rod 31 which extends through a pair of holes 32, 33 the former of which is drilled through the element 12 on an laxis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis and in the major plane thereof adpacent the outer end 34 and the latter in the element 11 on an axis which is generally oblique to the longitudinal axis of element 11 in axial alignment with hole 32, as seen particularly in FIG. 3. Secured to the upper end of tie rod 31 is an enlarged plate like head 3S which is received in a notch 36, formed in the upper edge 37 of rafter 12 adjacent the outer end 34 thereof, when the tie rod 31 is received through the holes 32, 33. The lower end of rod 31 projects outwardly through a plate like washer 38 which is received in a positioning n-otch 39 formed in the inner edge 24 of leg 11 in vertically spaced relation to the surface 14 thereof. Washer 38 is formed with a short ltubular member 40, the -plane of the outer edge of which is disposed normal to the axis of pin 31 and has abutting relationship with a nut 41 which is screw threadedly received on the lower end of tie rod 31. Tightening rotation of nut 41 causes the outer end portion 34 of rafter 12 and the outer end portion `42 of leg 11 to be lbrought together with the surfaces 14, 17 in abutting relationship and with tie rod 31 and parts associ-ated therewith placed under a vertical tension load. Should any shrinkage occur in the elements 11, 12, due to lessening of the mo-isture content thereof, one only has to further tighten the nut 41 to again cause the surfaces 14, 17 to assume their abutting relationship.

Referring to FIG. in which is shown a modified structure generally similar to the structure of FIGS. 1-4 and in which like characters with prime marks added indicate like parts, there is shown a haunch joint Haunch joint 10', like h-aunch joint 10, includes the vertical leg 11 and rafter 12 secured together adjacent the inner portion 19', thereof by bracket means 18. Surfaces 14', 17' of element 11', 12' are maintained in abutting relationship' by the tie rod 31 which is received in the aligned holes 32', 33', the former formed in rafter 12' and the latter in leg 11. As shown, hole 33' is formed parallel with outer edge 43 and with the longitudinal dimension of the wood grain of leg 11'. Plate like head 35 of tie rod 31 is received in a notch 44 formed in the base of leg 11' with tie rod 31' projecting upwardly through hole 33', 32' to a point where it terminates in a notch 45 formed in the upper edge 37 of rafter 12'. A washer 46 is received over the outer end with a nut 41 having screw threaded relationship with rod 31' in abutting engagement therewith. Thus tie rod 31 is under vertical tension parallel to the wood grain of leg 11' -thereby reducing the effect of expansion and contraction in joint 10', due to varying moisture content of elements 11', 12', to a minimum.

' In view of the above description there is provided a building arch which fully achieves the described objects.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I lhave shown and described a preferred embodiment, I wish it to be specifically understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a building arch including a generally upright leg element and lan angularly upwardly extending rafter element one end of which is supported by said leg element, the upper end of said leg element and said one end of said rafter element defining generally horizontal mating surfaces, the invention which comprises:

(a) bracket means securing the abutting inner porti-ons of said elements together,

(b) and independent tension means securing the abutting outer end portions of said elemen-ts together, said first mentioned means including:

(l) a thrust plate interposed between said mating surfaces and being formed to define a transversely extended generally vertically projecting semicylindrical bearing element closely adjacent the converging inner edges of said elements,

(2) said bearing element being nestingly received within a recess formed in the mating surface in one of said elements and defining -a positioning fulcrum for said elements.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said bracket means further includes a depending tongue rigidly secured to the inner end of said thrust plate and engageable with the inner edge of said leg element whereby to positively limit outward movements of said thrust plate with respect -to said leg.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said recess is formed in the mating surface associated with said rafter adjacent the inner edge thereof and in which said bearing element projects upwardly thereinto when said surfaces are in generally abutting relationship.

4. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said bracket means also includes a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel, opposed anchoring plates rigidly secured to said thrust plate and said anchoring tongue and adapated to be regidly secured to adjacent sides of both said leg and rafter elemen-ts.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said tension means includes a tie rod extending through the outer end portions of said elements, said tie rod having an enlarged plate-like head on one end thereof engageable with one of said elements, a nut threadably receivable on the other end there-of, and a plate-like washer interposed between said nut and the other of said elements whereby the outer portions of said surfaces may be lbrought into abutting engagement under tension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,084,758 6/ 1937 Anderson 287-2092 2,354,801 8/ 1944 De Huff `287-2094 2,477,163 7/ 1949 Barnett 287-2092 2,796,642 6/ 1957 Woodworth 287-2092 3,099,468 7/ 1963 Mayerdick 287-2095 3,247,635 4/.1966 Burns 287-2092 FOREIGN PATENTS 669,860 1/ 1939 Germany.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

M. PARSONS, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING ARCH INCLUDING A GENERALLY UPRIGHT LEG ELEMENT AND AN ANGULARLY UPWARDLY EXTENDING RAFTER ELEMENT ONE END OF WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY SAID LEG ELEMENT, THE UPPER END OF SAID LEG ELEMENT AND SAID ONE END OF SAID RAFTER ELEMENT DEFINING GENERALLY HORIZONTAL MATING SURFACES, THE INVENTION WHICH COMPRISES: (A) BRACKET MEANS SECURING THE ABUTTING INNER PORTIONS OF SAID ELEMENTS TOGETHER, (B) AND INDEPENDENT TENSION MEANS SECURING THE ABUTTING OUTER END PORTIONS OF SAID ELEMENTS TOGETHER, SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING: 